CONSUMER PRESENCE BASED DEAL OFFERS

• US 20140108108A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Engestrom, Jyri, Artman, Tuomas, Schwekendiek, Ulf
• Granted Patent: US 10,235,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location

Abstract

Systems and related methods facilitating payments with a mobile device are discussed herein. Circuitry in a networked-based central system, which may be a promotional system or payment system, may be configured to receive payment information from a consumer device. The consumer device may include circuitry configured to receive wallet identifying data from the central system. The wallet identification data may be used to secure messages between the consumer device and another device, such as a merchant device, over a wireless link. In some embodiments, the consumer device may receive promotional offers, such as deal vouchers or rewards, and make payments to the other device via the wireless link.

Claims

1. A merchant device comprising processing circuitry configured to:

wirelessly receive wallet identifying data from a consumer device via a personal area network (PAN), wherein the wallet identifying data is generated by a central system;

transmit the wallet identifying data to the central system;

receive, from the central system, consumer identifying data associated with the wallet identifying data; and

determine the consumer device is in proximity to the merchant device based on the consumer device being within a communicable range of the PAN.

2. The merchant device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configure to display consumer information based on at least some of the consumer identifying data.

3. The merchant device of claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cease displaying the consumer information in response to determining the consumer device is no longer in proximity to the merchant device.

4. The merchant device of claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cease displaying the consumer information in response to receiving an indication from a user to only display consumer devices within a given range of the merchant device after determining the consumer device is outside the given range.

5. The merchant device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

receive product identifying data from the consumer device; and

transmit the product identifying data to the central system.

6. The merchant device of claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive promotional information associated with the product identifying data from the central system.

7. The merchant device of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to wirelessly send a promotional offer to the consumer device.

8. The merchant device of claim 7, wherein the promotional offer is wirelessly sent in response to determining the consumer device is in proximity to the merchant device.

9. The merchant device of claim 8, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive an indication that the promotional offer has been redeemed by the consumer device;

generate redemption data indicating the promotional offer has been redeemed; and

transmit the redemption data to the central system.

10. The merchant device of claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to send a receipt to the consumer device indicating an applied discount associated with the promotional offer.

11. The merchant device of claim 1, wherein the wallet identifying data is associated with a payment account.

12. A machine-implemented method of determining the presence of a consumer, comprising:

wirelessly receiving, by a processor included in a merchant device, wallet identifying data from a consumer device via a personal area network (PAN), wherein the wallet identifying data is generated by a central system;

transmitting the wallet identifying data to the central system;

receiving, from the central system, consumer identifying data associated with the wallet identifying data; and

determining, by the processor, the consumer device is in proximity to the merchant device based on the consumer device being within a communicable range of the PAN.

27. The method of claim 12 further comprising displaying consumer information based on at least some of the consumer identifying data.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising ceasing display of the consumer information in response to determining the consumer device is no longer in proximity to the merchant device.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising ceasing display of the consumer information in response to receiving an indication from a user to only display consumer devices within a given range of the merchant device after determining the consumer device is outside the given range.

30. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving product identifying data from the consumer device; and

transmitting the product identifying data to the central system.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising receiving promotional information associated with the product identifying data from the central system.

32. The method of claim 12 further comprising wirelessly sending a promotional offer to the consumer device.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein sending the promotional offer is in response to determining the consumer device is in proximity to the merchant device.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

receiving an indication that the promotional offer has been redeemed by the consumer device;

generating redemption data indicating the promotional offer has been redeemed; and

transmitting the redemption data to the central system.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising sending a receipt to the consumer device indicating an applied discount associated with the promotional offer.

36. The method of claim 12, wherein the wallet identifying data is associated with a payment account.

13. (canceled)

14. A networked device comprising processing circuitry configured to:

receive consumer identifying data from a consumer device;

generate wallet identifying data associated with the consumer identifying data, wherein the wallet identifying data is generated by the processing circuitry;

associate promotional data with the consumer identifying data, wherein the promotional data is also associated with a merchant;

send the wallet identifying data to the consumer device;

receive the wallet identifying data from a merchant device, wherein the merchant device is associated with the merchant;

validate the wallet identifying data received from the merchant device;

send the consumer identifying data to the merchant device after validating the wallet identifying data; and

send the promotional data.

15. The networked device of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

receive a request to authorize a payment of a total amount, the total amount to be paid to the merchant by the networked device from a payment account associated with the consumer device;

determine the promotional data is associated with a discount;

process the request by applying the discount to the total amount and pay the remaining amount to the merchant from the payment account; and

send a payment confirmation indicating payment of the total cost less the discount to the merchant device after processing the request.

16. The networked device of claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to retain a portion of the remaining amount as a fee for services provided to the merchant device.

17. The networked device of claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to facilitate payment to a merchant account associated with the merchant device.

18. The networked device of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine when the consumer device is in proximity to the merchant device; and

in response to determining when the consumer device is in proximity to the merchant device, send the promotional data to the consumer device.

19. The networked device of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine when the consumer device is in proximity to the merchant device; and

in response to determining when the consumer device is in proximity to the merchant device, send the promotional data to the merchant device.

20. The networked device of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine a location of the consumer device; and

send the promotional data to the consumer device, wherein the promotional data is associated with merchants within a geofencing distance to the location of the consumer device.

21-26. -26. (canceled)